Wednesday 23 December 2009

Christmas Preparations On Hold...

I'm not very successful when it comes to preparing for Christmas - preparing in the physical sense, that is. While I enjoy shopping, I do not enjoy food shopping, or shopping when I have absolutely no idea what I want to buy, and I loathe large crowds.

So Christmas shopping is particularly irksome, especially when trying to buy presents for male relatives. As a result, I always leave Christmas shopping until the last minute, because I keep hoping for inspiration... or, at least, a few clues from the male relatives' spouses!

I had planned to go shopping today as it was payday. I got up early, did some chores, and then went to collect some dry cleaning. I attempted to pay for it using my debit card. Ooops. No dice. Card declined.

Now, I knew that today was payday. I had received the payslip on Monday. So I rang my bank. After waiting for over half an hour, I was told that the BACS system had crashed overnight, and so there was a delay in crediting accounts. No idea when the late credits would be completed, though it was guaranteed for later in the day. How much later? Would the shops still be open? No idea. No offer of help.

My planned shopping trip had to be put on hold - luckily I hadn't gone all the way to Bluewater before finding out that there was no money in my account. I kept ringing the bank to check my balance, just in case I could still get to the shops.

In the meantime, being stuck at home, I settled down to finish writing my Christmas cards (every cloud has a silver lining!) Finally, at 2pm, the money went through. I immediately scooted out back to the dry cleaners, the bank, the post office, the chemist... and then it was time for my appointment with the hairdresser, so no chance to get to Bluewater.

For me it was just mildly inconvenient - after all, I can go shopping in Bluewater tomorrow (though shopping on Christmas Eve must surely count as a penance, if not as grounds for sectioning under the Mental Health Act!) But I feel sorry for the people who have had shopping orders and delivery times (organised weeks in advance) cancelled because payments didn't get through in time.

The banks are very quick to charge customers who go into the red, through no fault of their own, because an expected payment was delayed, perhaps by no more than a day. It will be interesting to see what compensation will be offered to customers adversely affected by this error. I won't be holding my breath! I will, however, be considering whether I want to stay with Abbey/Santander in the New Year...

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mac - what a dreadful situation, especially at this time of year!

I think i'd be haaving quite a stern chat with them if i was in your boots just in.

Christmas Eve shopping - ouch!

May the Force be with you.

Dominic Mary said...

Having done it - unwillingly - I agree with you about Christmas shopping at Bluewater on Christmas Eve : but look at it this way; it should be worth many quarantines (old style calculations) off Purgatory !

However; whilst I agree with you about the iniquity of banks charging for things you never intended to do, and then making no atrtempt to compensate you for something they do, I have to say that if it was the BACS system, that wouldn't have been Abbey/Santander's fault - though it doesn't excuse their appalling lack of customer care.

Anyway : have a splendid Christmas - and at least with Fr Tim, that is pretty much guaranteed. (More than BACS, anyway !)

Dilly said...

My friend had an even worse experience with your bank - she paid her m&s card online and it debited £15000, not £150. Then the system crashed. To cut a long story short M&S were very nice about it and sent her flowers, and nagged the bank for days on end - as it was very clear what had happened - but the bank froze her account for over a week - in spite of M&S recrediting the money immediately. The main excuse was "It's all done in Spain...."

Mulier Fortis said...

Ebo - thanks for the sympathy vote.

Dominic Mary - it was only the Abbey/Santander BACS payments which crashed... all other BACS payments went in ok...

Dilly - I think I'd have had heart failure on the spot...

Mark said...

hrmmm...

*eyes Santandaer warily* Given that they swallowed up A&L, is it time for me to swap banks!? (this might explain my card failure the other day?)

Zephyrinus said...

Dear Mulier Fortis. I sympathise 100%. I recently had enough of Abbey/Santander's excuses for "service" and migrated to one of the few Building Societies left. Result ? Magnificent service. Prompt. Polite. Personable. Also, you might wish to consider a home delivery service for your shopping from one of the major stores. Let them be hassled by traffic, crowds, etc, while you put your feet up. A Very Happy, Holy and Peaceful Christmas to you and Sylvester.

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